Wrench.



C. H. LUTHMAN."

WRENCH. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1911.

2 snnmksnnm 2.

I STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES H LU'r'II-IIAN, or nAmIoNn, INDIANA, AssIe on TO THE, NATIONAL sun.- rAcI: GUARD commune-or cmcAco, ILLINoIs, A conronArIoN or IL INoIs.

WRENCH.

To all whom it may comem:

Beit known that I,CHAnLns'H. LUTH- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following is a specification;

s when adjusted in operative position, will.

This invention relates to wrenches, and

relates particularly to track wrenches.

The object of the invention is to provide a track wrench of simple construction, which may be quickly and conveniently engaged with and disengaged from a rail; which will be effective for its designed use; and which,

sectional elevation thereof on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation thereof on'the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line'44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an end view of the rotatable head in which the nut engaging socket is formed; and'Fig. 6 is a face View of the abutment for securing the bolt in'position.

In'the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown my improved wrench as applied for turning the nuts of the securing I so bolts of a rail joint, A designates a rail, a, a the plates of a rail joint, B one of the securing bolts for said rail jointplates, and

b a nut threaded to the end of said bOltr To 'prevent turning of the bolt with the nut B,

said bolt is provided directly under its head with a portion b which is oblong in cross section, the hole or opening in the rail joint plate a through which the bolt extends, being-correspondingly shaped to receive the oblong portion 5 of said bolt.

All of the foregoing parts are old and well known in the art, and as they have no connection with my present inventionbut are,

shown for purposes of illustration only, they need not be described more in detail.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed larch a1, 1911. Serial No. 618,078.

The frame of the machine. consists of a Patented July 23, 1912.

similar side frame members 1 and 2 shape adjacent to oneend, to form yokes 3 adapted to extend, over and to engage the rail, the opposite ends 4 of said frame members being substantially straight and parallel. Between the yokes 3 and the straight sections 4, the frame members'l and 2 are shaped to form downward projections 5 which are adapted to rest upon the base of'the rail or the'flange of the rail joint plate, and to supskeleton structure comprising substantiall port the wrench in approximate alinement 5 with the bolt, thereby greatly facilitating engagement of the wrench with the bolts and 7 their nuts, as will presently appear. In the preferableconstruction shown, said wrench frame is made from a bar or rod of suitable metaL'asWrought iron or steel bent between its ends to form the frame members 1 and 2, which are, likewise bent to form the yokes 3 and the downward'projections or supports 5. The outer ends of said rod or bar forming the frame members 1 and 2 are connected bya plate 6 riveted or otherwise rigidly secured thereto.

The nut turning means of my improved wrench comprises a head 7, formed in which is-a socket comprising a section 8 adapted't'o receive the nut B and to engage the flat sides thereof,.' and an inner axial extension 8 thereof adapted to receive the end of the bolt B which projects through the nut .b. The head 7 is rotatably supported upon the wrench frame in such manner as to be bodily movable endwise. As shown, said head 7 is.

supported by a shank 9 secured to the rear end thereof in substantially axial alinement,

with the sockettherein, and which engages a suitable bearing formed in the plate 6 so as to permit] bodily rotary and endwise movement of said shank. As shown, the bearing for said shank 9 is formed in a sleeve or bushing 10 riveted or otherwise rigidly secured in the plate 6. A collar secured to the outer end of the shank 9, preferably by a nut threaded to the rear end of said shank, secures said shank in engage ment with its bearing and at the same time permits the socket 7 and the operative parts connected thereto to be quickly and conveniently removed and re laced, thus providing for substituting socke heads having sockets of different size to adapt the wrench for use on nuts of different size. a

The socket head 7 is adapted to be roal-hhi ated by means of a ratchet wheel l1 secured thereto, preferably by means of a square hole extending lengthwise therethrough which engages a square extension 12 on the d rear end of said socket head 7. As shown,

said ratchet wheel 11 is secured in position on the square extension 12 of said ratchet head by a nut 13 threaded to the outer end of said extension.

' The handle 14 for'operating the wrench is provided with bearings 15 in its lower end which rotatably engage bearings on the socket head, which, in the preferable construction shown, are formed directly on hubs 16 on the ratchet wheel 11, one on each side thereof, said handle being provided with a slot 17 in its lower end adapted to receive said ratchet wheel with the sides of said slot embracing the sides of said ratchet wheel. To provide for assemblingthe parts,

the slot 17 is formed by spaced plates 18 secured to the lower end of the handle 14.

Pivoted between its ends in the slot 17 above the ratchet wheel 11 is a double ended pawl 19, the opposite ends of which are adapted to be brought into operative engagement. with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 11 by pivotal movement of said pawl in one direction or the other. Said pawl is adapted to be yieldingly maintained in position corresponding to engagement of opposite ends thereof with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, by means of a suitable spring catch or detent consisting, as shown, of a pin 20 fitted to, a bearing formed in the handle at the upper side of the slot 17 therein. The lower end of said pin is pointed or angular and is adapted to engage correspondingly shaped recesses or notches 21 formed on said pawl. A spring 22 applied to the inner end of the locking pin 20 operates to maintain said pin yieldingly in engagement with said notches or recesses 21, respectively. The

pawl 19 is made of such length that itsends.

will project outside of the slot 17, thus providing for conveniently turning the same pivotally, as by foot pressure applied to the end thereof which is disengaged from the ratchet wheel, to turn said pawl' pivotally to effect disengagement of the engaged end of said pawl from and engagement of the disengaged end thereof with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, the relation being such that such pivotal movement will also efiect disengagement of the locking pin 20 from one of the notches or recesses 21 and head and adapted to be compressed upon said shank by suitable clamps consisting of metal bands 2st and 25. which embrace opposite sides of said split fiber bushing 23 and are adjust-ably connected by means of screws or bolts 26, the relation bein such that when said fiber bushing 23 is in full designed engagement with the shank 9, the connected ends of the clampin bands will beslightly separated, thus providing for ad-1 justing the tension of said friction and for taking up wear of said fiber bushing. Said friction is secured against turning with the shank 9 by arms 27 on one of the clamping bands which engage the frame members 1 and 2, and said friction is confined against.

lengthwise movement on said shank between. the rear end of the socket head 7 and a collar 28 secured to said shank.

To provide for conveniently adjusting the nut socket 8 to the nut, the shank 9 is preferably loosely fitted to its bearin in the sleeve 01' bushing 10, thus provi ing for limited play thereof to effect alinement of said nut socket with the nut. Preferably,- also, the arms 27 extend beneath the frame members 1 and 2, so that when the wrench is lifted bodily by its handle, the weight of the wrench frame will be borne largely by said arms. By properly adjusting the position of said arms, they will also operate to support the socket head in approximate axial alinement.

Secured in the front end of the machine frame, in substantial axial alinement with the socket head 7, when in operative position, is a stud 29, a head 30 on which is adapted to engage the head of the bolt B and to secure said bolt against endwise movement with the oblong section b of said bolt in engagement with the oblong hole in the rail joint plate a and thus to prevent turning of said bolt with the nut. In the preferable construction shown, the surface of the .head 30 is flatto provide for moving the head of said bolt sidewise into and out of engagementwith the end of the bolt, the head of said stud being maintained in engagement with the bolt head by means of a flange 31 on the lower and one lateral edge thereof. In the preferable construction shown, also, the headed stud 29 is secured in the wrench frame so as to be adjustable of said stud contacts with the head of the bolt, which will thus operate to maintain the flat end of said stud in engagement with the head of the bolt and said bolt against endwise movement, in the manner desired.

To provide for moving the wrench bodily sidewise in order to quickly and conveniently disengage the same from the bolt and rail after the nut has been fully turned up, one of the frame members of the wrench, as shown, the member 2, is voffset laterally, as shown. at 32, so as to form a s ace between the sockethead 7' and sai frame member of sufiicient width to permit the nut -B to pass freely therethrough.

I claim 7 1. In a wrench, the combination of a rigid frame comprising spaced and connected side frame members shaped at their forward ends to form yokes adapted to extend over a rail, a transverse frame member which connects the rear ends of said side frame members, and means at the forward ends of said yokes for engaging said frame with the head of a bolt, a socket head, a rearwardly extending shank on said socket head fitted to a bearing in the rear transverse frame member so as to be movable therein both endwise and axially, a handle provided with a bearing rotatively fitted to a bearing on ,said sockethead, a ratchet wheel secured to rotate with said socket head, a reversible pawl on said handle adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel and arms rotatably mounted on the shank of thesocket head which engage beneath the side frame members, substantially as described.

2. In a wrench, the combination of a rigid frame comprising spaced and connected side frame members shaped at their forward ends to form yokes adapted to extend over .a rail, a transverse frame member which connects the rear ends of said side frame members and means at the forward ends of said yokes for engaging said frame with the head of a bolt, a socket head, a rearwardly extending shank on said socket head fitted to a bearing in the rear transverse frame member so as to be movable both endwise and axially therein, a handle provided with a bearing rotatively fittBdtO a bearing on said socket head, a ratchet wheel secured to rotate with said socket head, a reversible pawl on said handle adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel and a brake applied to said socket head adapted for preventing rearward rotation thereof when the handle and ratchet pawl are retracted, substantially as described.

3. In a wrench, the combination of a rigid frame comprising spaced and connected side frame members shaped at their forward ends to form yokes adapted to extend over a rail, a transverse frame member which connects the rear ends of said side frame said yokes for engaging said frame with the head of a bolt, a socket head, a rearwardly extending shank on said socket head fitted to a bearing in the rear transverse frame member so as to be movable therein both endwise and axiall a handle provided with a bearing rotatively fitted to a bearing on said socket head, a ratchet wheel secured to rotate with said socket head, a reversible teeth of said ratchet wheel and a bra e applied to' said socket head adapted for preventing rearward rotation thereof when the handle and ratchet pawl are retracted, said for clamping said, bushing upon said shank and means for engaging said brake witlra rigid part of the brake frame to hold said brake against rotation with the shank of the socket-head, substantially as described.

4. In a wrench, the combination of a rigid frame comprising spaced and connected slde frame members shaped at their forward ends to form yokes adapted to extend over a rail, a transverse frame member whichconnects the rear ends of said side frame-members and means at the forward ends of said yokes for engaging said frame withthe head of a bolt, a sockethead, a rearwardly extending shank on said socket head fitted to a bearing in the rear transverse frame member so as to be movable both endwise and axially therein, a handle provided with a bearing rotatively fitted to a bearing on said socket head, a ratchet wheel secured to rotate with said socket head, a reversible pawl on saidhandle adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel and a brake applied to said socket head adapted for preventing rearward rotation -thereof when the handle and ratchet pawl are retracted, said brake comprising a split bushing which surrounds the shank of the socket head, means for clamping said bushing upon said shank and lateral arms which engage said brake with rigid parts of the brake frame and support said brake against rotation with the shank of the socket head, substantially as-described.

5. In a wrench, the combination of a rigid frame comprising spaced and connected slde frame members shaped 1 at their forward ends to form yokes adapted to extend over a rail, a transverse frame member which connects the rear ends of said side frame members and means at the forward ends of said yokes for engaging said frame with the head of a bolt, a socket head, a rearwardly to a bearing in the rear transverse frame member so as to be movable both endwise and axially therein, a handle provided with a bearing rotatively' fitted to a bearing on brake, comprising a split bushing which surrounds the-shank of the socket head, means members, and means at the forward ends of I pawl on said handle adapted to enga e the extending shank on said socket head fitted said socket head, a ratchet wheel secured to rotate with said socket head, a-reversible pawl on said handle adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel and a brake applied to said socket head adapted for preventing rearward rotation thereof when the handle and ratchet pawl are retracted, said brake comprisin a split bushing which surrounds the shan I of the socket head, bands which embrace Opposite sides of said split bushing, screws or. boltswhich adjustably connect said bands to provide for clamping the same upon said split bushing, one of said, bands being extended and engagin besubstantially presence of two subscribing witnesses, this March, A. D. 1911.

CHARLES H. LUTHMAN.

Witnesses: v

K. A. Cos'rELLo, M. WILDNER.

18th day of 

